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Terracotta bakeware details

04-30-2006, 11:02 AM

Here is a fun photograph of Sig. Lotti (senior) and their small kiln in S. Gimignano. They are our producer for terra cotta bakeware for woodfired ovens. They also have a large kiln nearby for the firing the bakeware itself, while this one is used for the glaze.

The bakeware is made from clay quarried in Tuscany (Montelupo, which is also a center for decorative terracotta), mixed with 45% refined alumina (imported from Germany). The bakeware is heat restistant to over 1500F (so it works great in a wood-fired ovens), and you can even use it on a cooktop with direct flame. It is fully food-safe.

To poke fun at one of our pizza oven competitors, it is interesting to see that there isn't enough alumina in "tuscan clay" for bakeware, and the alumina has to be add. I think that is a reminder that basic "clay" ovens really aren't what you want to use.

Comment

Throw your own. If you were a potter, and are now a pizzaiolo, you should give it shot. You'll be great. Do you have access to a local kiln?

James

My college, which is in my town, offers continuing education classes. So I would have access to the whole studio. Huge kilns with roll out doors and about 20 pottery wheels.

So, if I can find the time...

I'll have to post some pics of some of the work I did. I took a pottery class as my last elective in my last semester at college. I just graduated in 2006 and had a really good relationship with my professor. I even did some work at his house while I was a carpenter. I think he would let me have access even if I wasn't enrolled. Which would be awesome. When I do get back I will have to make you a nice set of ramekins in appreciation for all you do here.
A little pay back.

Comment

I have a couple I bought from Forno Bravo. How do I clean them? I haven't used the second one yet because the first one is stained after only a couple of uses? I called, and someone at frono bravo suggested baking soda, which helped, but it still looks stained. Help!

Comment

Exploding, staining, breaking ... why not just use good old cast iron? I bought a covered baking dish and two frying pans and that takes care of all my WFO cooking needs from baking to roasting to frying. No cleaning, holds the heat, difficult to break and cheap.

/ Rossco

Comment

New to forno bravo, my son purchased a primaviera oven for me for father's day. I totally agree with the cast iron approach. My second firing involved a large cast iron pan with roasted potato and rosemary chicken breast. I know! I should have thrown some vegetables in it. Next time. Eventually I will accept the fact they should be part of my diet. Oh well.

Comment

I'm in the UK and have found some terracotta dishes. I have used one several times, maybe 10 or more, for casseroles. However, I'm still unsure about how to handle them. At the moment I'm pre-soaking for 30 minutes and them putting the dish in a cold, convention oven (with the stock in the dish for liquid) and warming it up. I then use the wood oven to to fry the other ingredients before combining everything in the terracotta and cooking in the wood oven. Normally at around 250 C or more. The food is excellent, but it seems a bit of an effort to pre-soak and pre-heat. Should I still need to do both?